Sicily's private water providers charge higher rates, study shows

A Federconsumatori Sicily report using data up to the end of 2025 finds that where water services are managed privately, consumers pay significantly more. About half of the island’s households incur water and sewer bills above the national average. For a three‑person household consuming 182 m³ per year, the most expensive cities are Enna at €764.50 and Siracusa at €738.08, while the cheapest is Catania at €360.19.

The report explains two main causes. First, water is billed twice: a wholesale purchase from the mixed‑ownership Siciliacque (75 % private, 25 % regional) and a second charge by local operators. The wholesale price is very high, and more than half of the purchased water is lost in outdated distribution networks, with loss rates ranging from 75 % in Catania (Acoset) to about 20 % in Trapani. These losses are passed on to consumers through higher bills.

Investments needed to repair the networks are stalled by regional actions, including the commissariamento of several provincial water assemblies (Catania, Messina, Siracusa), which delayed contracts with single operators and caused legal challenges and the exclusion of many projects from the national PNRR fund. The report quotes Federconsumatori Sicilia president Alfio La Rosa: “The result is a very high price for a service of very low quality.”

Recent political pressure includes a parliamentary interrogation by regional deputy Lidia Adorno (M5S), demanding clarification of anomalous bills and transparency in tariff criteria. In Siracusa, the private operator Siam Spa is set to hand over management to the publicly‑controlled Aretusacque Spa, raising concerns about service continuity this summer.